(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an accessible partition wall construction wherein wall panels are engaged by substantially identical and interchangeable panel clips which facilitate removable engagement with a stud clip resiliently engaging a channel-shaped stud having an engageable flange and engageable longitudinal rib at the junctures of the flanges and web of the channel-shape.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Hollow-wall partition construction is a widely used method of construction for use in residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Generally, two parallel spaced-apart rows of wall panels, typically comprising gypsum wallboard panels, are aligned in edge-to-edge relationship having joints therebetween with vertical studs located at said joints for necessary support. Conventional construction techniques involve permanent affixation of wallboard to studs by means of nailing or screwing through the panels into the surfaces of a stud. With the advent of relocatable partition systems this relatively fixed, or permanent, installation has become less frequently used.
In attempts to provide demountable and accessible systems, many hollow-wall partition constructions utilize various studs, clips, shims, panel edge configurations, and other components to facilitate removing panels without damaging elements of the wall system. Such removability has been attained by using rabbet edged panels, kerfed edged panels, and simple tapered and square-edged panels. In providing removability, many systems require specially formed studs for adaptability with panel engaging clips. Such studs typically require particular slots or marginal elements adaptable for use with particularly shaped clips. Other systems utilize conventional I-shaped or channel-shaped studs and attain accessibility by resiliently engageable clips. While accessibility is thereby obtained, uniformity of joints becomes a problem in that the resiliency of the clip necessitates its deformation during installation and thereby accurate panel spacing may be denied.
(3) Objects of the Invention
No prior art system utilizes a resiliently engaging stud clip separable from panel engaging clips whereby mounting is attained by lifting and locking the panel clips to a stud clip. While some lifting and locking has occurred by utilization of slotted studs, no conventionally shaped stud, such as a C-shaped channel strut, has been envisioned for use with such so-called lift and lock systems.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a mounting means for wall panels in hollow-wall partition construction affording positive panel spacing by utilizing a lift and lock engagement of panel-engaging clips to a resiliently engaging stud clip. It has also been a goal of the construction industry to provide such a system wherein panel clips are interchangeable at either side of a joint and wherein stud clips are stud engageable at either side of the stud.
It would additionally be a desired solution to previously encountered problems to provide individually accessible panels wherein adjoining panels are not disturbed and accessibility at particular panel locations may be obtained.
It would be an allied solution to provide an accessible partition system wherein the mounting of the panels is made with the panels being positioned parallel with adjacent panels then horizontally moved into the plane of the wall followed by a slight downward movement to hook panel clips over stud clips without requiring rotation of panels which may otherwise create chipping of the edges and misalignment at the joints.
In accordance with this last-cited object it would be highly desirable to provide removability by the reversal of these steps by lifting the panel to disengage, or unlock, panel clips from stud clips and then horizontally displacing the panel outward while maintaining it in a safe parallel relationship with adjoining panels to remove it from the wall surface for access therebehind or relocation elsewhere in the system.